Why is great financial advice for expats so hard to find?

International financial advice is (nearly) always bad

It started with a blank sheet of paper in a room in Geneva. AES International had no clients, no financial backers, and no awards; but there was one thing - a really exciting mission, a mission we remain completely committed to over a decade later. So why is great financial advice for expats so hard to find? Simply because huge (and often hidden) upfront commission payments incentivise sales people to do the wrong thing – to sell expensive financial products to expats which destroy their investment returns. Here's the story of our journey to change this.

As a group of late twenty-somethings, we wanted to take on the international financial services marketplace - to challenge the status quo. We wanted to pioneer the transformation of an industry. Turning one that manufactures and vends toxic investment products into a profession centred round the client and changing people’s financial futures for the better; by delivering the best information, the best prices, the best advice and the best service.

This means change. However, we know that most people hate change: it often elicits fear, anger and resentment.

But, our type of change is Positive Change.

Based on our core values of Knowledge, Integrity and Teamwork; we dare to do everything within our marketplace very, very differently. Our radical transparency can make many people uncomfortable. Why? Because...

1. Financial sales people (or, as we call them, dinosaurs) don’t want us to tell others the truth; and

2. Clients aren’t used to being told the truth.

In order to achieve this we are unreasonably picky about the type of people we employ. Our people are completely critical to our success and we strive to create a positive environment for positive people, whatever their role in the firm. We therefore invest in championing our people, putting us in the top 1% of all Investor in People firms.

As well as loving our people - we obsess over our clients, not our competitors. This is all part of our DNA.

We wanted to be one of the key drivers for change in the international financial advice market for expats. We wanted to help turn the industry into a respected profession, healing the lack of trust and improving the lives of those we serve and those who we employ. We started the business because we believed that it would succeed that it would be profitable and sustainable, and that it could change the world.

This is why AES International exists today, and why we have won over 26 awards for our international financial advice in the last five years. So why not subscribe to our blog, call us, or socialise with us - we'd be delighted to help you plan your future.